Countries Where Nguyen Is The Most Common Surname

Nguyen (Nguyễn) is the most common surname in Vietnam, shared by an estimated 38–40% of the population.

The name has also spread around the world through Vietnamese migration, becoming particularly common in countries such as Australia, France, Norway, the Czech Republic and the United States.

However, one of the most surprising places where Nguyen tops the list is…

Iceland, where it is the country’s most common hereditary family surname.

According to figures published by Iceland’s Ministry of Justice in March 2025, 615 people in Iceland have the surname Nguyen, ahead of Blöndal (472), Hansen (458), Thorarensen (354) and Rodriguez (351).

The findings were reported by Iceland’s national broadcaster, RÚV, following a parliamentary question about the country’s most common surnames.

The reason is partly Iceland’s unusual naming system.

Rather than using inherited family surnames, most Icelanders traditionally take a patronymic or matronymic name based on a parent’s first name, typically ending in -son (son) or -dóttir (daughter).

Consequently, names such as Jónsson and Jónsdóttir are far more widespread overall, but they are not hereditary surnames in the usual sense.

Nguyen’s prominence also reflects the history of Vietnamese immigration to Iceland, including refugees who arrived in the country in the late 20th century.

The result is a surprising geographical connection between two countries separated by more than 9,000 kilometres.

Sources and further reading

1. Alþingi – Official Icelandic parliamentary surname statistics (2025)
2. RÚV – Nguyen, Blöndal and Hansen are Iceland’s most common family surnames (26 March 2025)
3. DV – These are Iceland’s most common family surnames (26 March 2025)
4. Språktidningen – How Icelandic naming customs are changing (2026)

Note: The Icelandic authorities caution that their surname figures are not perfectly precise because of how names are recorded in the national registry.